diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d85683
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0.5.4
diff --git a/project.clj b/project.clj
index 3ecd5f5..13c1e4d 100644
--- a/project.clj
+++ b/project.clj
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-(defproject com.rpl/specter "0.5.4"
+(def VERSION (.trim (slurp "VERSION")))
+
+(defproject com.rpl/specter VERSION
   :dependencies [[org.clojure/clojure "1.6.0"]
                  ]
   :jvm-opts ["-XX:-OmitStackTraceInFastThrow"] ; this prevents JVM from doing optimizations which can remove stack traces from NPE and other exceptions